2497: Ways to Cope With Back Pain and Discomfort by Alexis Mallery of DIY Active on Reducing Chronic Pain

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[00:00:53] Caribbean, Ships Registry Bahamas. This is Optimal Health Daily Episode 2497. Ways to

[00:01:00] cope with back pain and discomfort by Alexis Mallory of diyactive.com and I'm Dr. Neal. You're

[00:01:07] very own personal narrator. Welcome to another edition of Optimal Health Daily. This is one of

[00:01:13] just a few podcasts in the world where blogs are read to you. And on this show, you get the

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[00:01:31] hearing this. But for now, let's get right to today's post and start optimizing your life.

[00:01:41] Ways to cope with back pain and discomfort by Alexis Mallory of diyactive.com

[00:01:49] We hope you are staying happy and healthy during these uncertain times.

[00:01:53] Since much of the world is more sedentary than ever, I wanted to take some time to talk about

[00:01:58] ways to reduce or avoid back issues and pain. Tips to cope with back pain. Before I get into

[00:02:06] specific exercises that help you cope with back pain, I wanted to share some advice on how to

[00:02:12] reduce or avoid experiencing chronic pain and discomfort. Stay active. Sitting in one position

[00:02:20] for long periods of time can add to tightness, pain, discomfort, and lactic acid build up in the

[00:02:27] body. With this being said, it's very important to at least walk for five to ten minutes every hour.

[00:02:34] I highly recommend setting a timer every one to two hours that alerts you to get up, stretch,

[00:02:40] and move. You should see the benefits of doing this within the first few weeks.

[00:02:45] Posture is important. How most people sit, rounded shoulders, raised shoulders,

[00:02:52] head hung low takes the body out of postural alignment which can create compensations that can

[00:02:59] lead to discomfort and pain. Organomics is a very important field of study because it shows us how

[00:03:05] to healthily position our bodies during work hours. A standing desk and an ergonomics approved chair

[00:03:12] can be paramount based on the individual. Please remember to sit with your shoulders back,

[00:03:18] head facing forward, engage your core, and sit up straight with all vertebra stacked.

[00:03:25] Practice self-care. Things like massage, foam rollers, acupuncture,

[00:03:30] epsom salt products, and stretching can greatly reduce back pain. We can't treat our bodies like

[00:03:36] workhorses without giving ourselves time to recover, rest, and get back into proper postural

[00:03:42] alignment and equilibrium. Be mindful of movements during and outside of exercise.

[00:03:49] It's important to be mindful of our daily movements too. For example, most people do not practice

[00:03:55] proper lifting mechanics. If you need to pick something off of the floor, it's important to assume

[00:04:01] a squat position and lift with your legs, not your back. Most people bend down to pick up something,

[00:04:09] and this movement can easily throw out the back. The spine is more fragile than we give it credit for.

[00:04:16] These smallest movement could tweak our backs. This is why we need to move mindfully and proactively.

[00:04:23] Lift smart. When working out, it's important to keep our spines in mind. Don't lift heavier than

[00:04:30] it's safe for you to do so. For those with back injuries, pains, or just general back concerns,

[00:04:36] I suggest lifting on the lighter side. Less weight and more reps will have a better shot at

[00:04:42] protecting the back. Furthermore, when picking up and putting down weights, assume the same squat

[00:04:49] position I mentioned in the previous section. When squatting and deadlifting, it's important to

[00:04:55] lift with the lower extremities such as the lower abdominals, legs, and glutes. Take your supplements.

[00:05:03] While supplements aren't a magical cure, they can help. Things such as collagen peptides,

[00:05:08] turmeric and ginger can help with inflammation in the body, which in return can reduce pain.

[00:05:14] Turmeric and ginger come in capsules. I usually recommend a collagen powder to my clients.

[00:05:20] Exercises. Now that we've talked about methods that can help take care of the spine,

[00:05:26] I would like to go over specific exercises that are usually back safe.

[00:05:30] Please note, workout programs should always be individualized,

[00:05:35] and those that have spine pain should consult their doctors before attempting any of the exercises

[00:05:40] I'm about to mention. Lastly, there are more exercises that may be good for back pain.

[00:05:46] I am merely listening a few to get you thinking. So without further ado, here are some specific

[00:05:51] exercises that are usually back safe. Deadbugs. Leg lifts. Glute bridges. Bench rows. Caff raises.

[00:06:01] Toe taps. Triceps dips. Downward dog. And butt blasters. Better to be safe than sorry.

[00:06:10] Over training is real. It's important to find the right balance between

[00:06:15] healthfully challenging yourself and catering to your own physical limitations.

[00:06:20] Every human has their own things to be mindful of. For example, I have scoliosis, which for the

[00:06:26] most part doesn't limit me. However, it's always important that I rest when my back tells me to.

[00:06:33] If you have never done so, I highly recommend taking a physical and mental inventory of yourself.

[00:06:40] To ensure you know your own limits. Knowing yourself is paramount when it comes to health and wellness.

[00:06:46] We can't ignore our hardships or hang-ups. Owning them, and figuring out how to creatively

[00:06:52] and healthfully handle them is the best plan of action for long term health and wellness.

[00:06:58] Lastly, please note that limits change over time. You at 30 will have different limitations than you

[00:07:05] at 60. With this being said, taking self-inventory is an ongoing process. Fitness journeys are fluid

[00:07:13] and require constant introspection and attention to continue progressing and reaching your goals.

[00:07:20] Pain is nothing to ignore. Ignoring it can only make matters worse in the long run.

[00:07:26] Wrap up. We hope this has given you some helpful advice on how to better manage back issues,

[00:07:31] discomfort and pain. And we hope you can now better cope with back pain.

[00:07:40] You just listen to the post titled,

[00:07:42] Ways to Cope with Back Pain and Discomfort by Alexis Mallory of diyactive.com.

[00:07:49] And I'll be right back with my commentary.

[00:08:01] North America. You don't just go for a road trip, you ATV and zip line through the jungle.

[00:08:08] You don't just go somewhere new. You repel down waterfalls and discover ancient temples.

[00:08:13] Because this isn't just any vacation, this is all the vacations. Come seek the Royal Caribbean.

[00:08:20] Ship's registry Bahamas.

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[00:08:50] Dr. Neal here for my commentary. When I was reading this article to you,

[00:08:54] I almost laughed when I read this line specifically.

[00:08:57] Quote, the smallest movement could tweak our backs. End quote.

[00:09:02] Why did I almost laugh? Well, it's because just the other day,

[00:09:06] a colleague of mine and I were sharing stories for how we each tweaked our backs with just the

[00:09:12] smallest movements. I shared with him how I pulled a muscle in my back when I was

[00:09:18] getting this. Moving my television cable box. The cable box weighs maybe two pounds,

[00:09:25] and I just wanted to move this cable box over to the other side of my television set.

[00:09:30] So, I lifted it up with both hands to carry it over the top of the television.

[00:09:35] And as soon as my hands reached the top of the television,

[00:09:40] I felt a shooting, paralyzing pain up and down my back. It took my breath away.

[00:09:45] Now, I was able to gently put the cable box down but just barely.

[00:09:50] Now this was a long time ago, but I still remember that pain and never want to experience it again.

[00:09:55] Now my colleague shared that he tweaked his back when he was, you ready for this one?

[00:10:01] Changing his son's diaper. He was basically gently twisting to place his son's dirty diaper

[00:10:07] in the diaper genie and boom! Had the same paralyzing pain that I just described.

[00:10:13] Oh, and did I mention that my colleague has his doctorate in kinesiology? Meaning

[00:10:19] my colleague's doctorate is in the science of human movement. I didn't mention that, huh.

[00:10:26] So anyways, between my colleagues PhD in human movement and my certification in exercise physiology,

[00:10:34] we sure have some embarrassing tales of how we tweaked our backs.

[00:10:38] So please know that back issues even happen to those that know better.

[00:10:43] But luckily our recoveries were probably faster than most others because we were active

[00:10:49] before these episodes, we take care to bend properly, lift proper weights, and we continue

[00:10:56] to remain active after these little setbacks. We're just again a bit more careful with our

[00:11:02] movements now. All right, thank you so much for being here. Thank you for listening every day.

[00:11:07] I hope you're having a wonderful week so far and I'll see you back here tomorrow

[00:11:10] where your optimal life awaits.